Sunday, March 9, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Oh…how can I forget!
Oh…Lord, I have forgotten that I am unworthy of your mercy but yet think I am qualified to chant your Holy name.
I react to the situations around me thinking I am worthy of better but actually I am just going through what I perfectly deserve. Oh Lord…please give me the brains to understand this properly…that I am not worthy of your Grace and that I deserve this suffering and much more for my past misdeeds.
For one who patiently withers the storm of his past misdeeds all the while meditating the glories of the Lord is sure to attain the attention of the Lord.
tat te nukumpam susumik samano
bhunjana evatma krpam vipakam
tad vag vapurbhir vidadhe namas te
jiveto yo mukti pade sa daya bhak
SB.10.14.8
"My dear Lord ,one who earnestly awaits You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while suffering the reactions from his past misdeeds, offering You obeisances from the core of his heart, is most certainly eligible for liberation for in fact it has become his rightful claim."
Hare Krishna
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Shelter
No I am not talking about the shelter band…!
I am talking about how to take shelter unto Krishna. I lately had a conversation with my wife on this point. What it means to take shelter at the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord. It is very natural for us to use our intellect and resources to solve daily problems. But Krishna Consciousness is about taking shelter unto Krishna.
Normally…we take shelter of anything when there is a need. Similarly, normally we take shelter unto the Lord when we are in distress and there are three fundamental types of distresses in this material world.
Suffering from the body and mind – Adhyatmika
Suffering caused by other living entitities (other humans, plants and animals) - Adhibhautika
Suffering from natural causes such as earthquake, famine etc – Adhidaivika
Taking shelter of the Lord is good whether we are in distress or not. However, the issue I would like to raise is “how”. How to take shelter? Normally, we do something to satisfy our needs. In this case, however, taking shelter of the Lord is not to satisfy our need (although that is not prohibited). The true way per the teachings of our acharyas of our line is we should take shelter of the Lord not in the mood to save us from difficulty but to “be an instrument of His will”. This mood will please Krishna the most. Of course, taking His shelter will give relief to our material problems but it may not please Krishna completely. So if our purpose in this life is to please Lord Govinda…then we should seek shelter to be an instrument of His will. This also means the outcome of our problem may not be materially solved. In other words, by taking shelter (in the proper way) may not relieve us of our material problems. We may even end up in more distress.
Therefore, taking shelter is not to pray to Krishna to help solve our material problems but to pray to be a humble instrument of His will (irrespective of the outcome of our problem).
We learn from our acharayas. Aspiring to become a pure devotee should be our sole purpose of life. Below is Lord Chaitanya’s prayer
ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam
adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparaha
Sikshashtakam verse 8
I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
Hare Krishna
I am talking about how to take shelter unto Krishna. I lately had a conversation with my wife on this point. What it means to take shelter at the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord. It is very natural for us to use our intellect and resources to solve daily problems. But Krishna Consciousness is about taking shelter unto Krishna.
Normally…we take shelter of anything when there is a need. Similarly, normally we take shelter unto the Lord when we are in distress and there are three fundamental types of distresses in this material world.
Suffering from the body and mind – Adhyatmika
Suffering caused by other living entitities (other humans, plants and animals) - Adhibhautika
Suffering from natural causes such as earthquake, famine etc – Adhidaivika
Taking shelter of the Lord is good whether we are in distress or not. However, the issue I would like to raise is “how”. How to take shelter? Normally, we do something to satisfy our needs. In this case, however, taking shelter of the Lord is not to satisfy our need (although that is not prohibited). The true way per the teachings of our acharyas of our line is we should take shelter of the Lord not in the mood to save us from difficulty but to “be an instrument of His will”. This mood will please Krishna the most. Of course, taking His shelter will give relief to our material problems but it may not please Krishna completely. So if our purpose in this life is to please Lord Govinda…then we should seek shelter to be an instrument of His will. This also means the outcome of our problem may not be materially solved. In other words, by taking shelter (in the proper way) may not relieve us of our material problems. We may even end up in more distress.
Therefore, taking shelter is not to pray to Krishna to help solve our material problems but to pray to be a humble instrument of His will (irrespective of the outcome of our problem).
We learn from our acharayas. Aspiring to become a pure devotee should be our sole purpose of life. Below is Lord Chaitanya’s prayer
ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam
adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparaha
Sikshashtakam verse 8
I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
Hare Krishna
Monday, March 3, 2008
A Perfect Action!
One of the biggest mental block for me is how can there by so much cruelty in this world "sanctioned” by the Lord. We study in the scriptures that Krishna is the ultimate doer in the performance of any “action”. The individual soul desires a particular action and the supersoul has to sanction it. Therefore the supersoul is the ultimate doer.
Trying to logically explain these apparent contradictions is a seeming impossibility. The laws of karma are so subtle and precise. In other words, we may not know the exact reason for these “bad” activities. Why God allowed so many children die in the tsunami tragedy? Why God allowed so many people die in the massive Gujarat earthquake? Why are animals slaughtered in the millions everyday around the world….so on and so forth.
We may not know the exact reason for a tragedy but the scriptures teach us that within the material manifestation, the laws are set up in such a way that we will get what we deserve. The laws are precise and very subtle. Therefore…yes, there are problems at an individual level and at a community level. But these problems are just a feedback of our own wrong doing. At the mundane level these tragedies are indeed a tragedy (as we just witness the destruction of the body). However, at the spiritual platform, these are just reactions caused by our own actions (as the soul is indestructible).
So the only way to not suffer (material problems) is by undoing the chain of action and reaction (cycle of karma)...and the way to do that is to "not act" (inaction) at all. But how can we “not act” (inaction) as we have to perform some act daily? Srila Prabhupada comments in one of his purports in the Bhagavad Gita “He (Arjuna) appears not to have understood that work in full knowledge is nonreactive and is therefore the same as inaction”. So any activity that yields no reaction is considered action in full knowledge. What type of action yields no reaction? Krishna explains that to Arjuna
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaḿ
jñāna-sañchinna-saḿśayam
ātmavantaḿ na karmāṇi
nibadhnanti dhanañjaya
BG 4.41
One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situated factually in the self. Thus he is not bound by the reactions of work, O conqueror of riches.
There lies the secret to all our actions. If our act is an expression of devotion to that Supreme Personality Govinda, then we can be relieved of all our reactions. This to me is a Perfect Action. I would like to footnote that any whimsical action cannot be offered as an expression of devotion to the Lord but should follow proper authority and the scriptures.
As devotees of the Lord, we should try to educate people of this knowledge (by distributing Srila Prabhupada books). Only this can transcend a living entity above the chain of action and reaction (karma). If not there will be tragedy and more tragedy.
Hare Krishna
Trying to logically explain these apparent contradictions is a seeming impossibility. The laws of karma are so subtle and precise. In other words, we may not know the exact reason for these “bad” activities. Why God allowed so many children die in the tsunami tragedy? Why God allowed so many people die in the massive Gujarat earthquake? Why are animals slaughtered in the millions everyday around the world….so on and so forth.
We may not know the exact reason for a tragedy but the scriptures teach us that within the material manifestation, the laws are set up in such a way that we will get what we deserve. The laws are precise and very subtle. Therefore…yes, there are problems at an individual level and at a community level. But these problems are just a feedback of our own wrong doing. At the mundane level these tragedies are indeed a tragedy (as we just witness the destruction of the body). However, at the spiritual platform, these are just reactions caused by our own actions (as the soul is indestructible).
So the only way to not suffer (material problems) is by undoing the chain of action and reaction (cycle of karma)...and the way to do that is to "not act" (inaction) at all. But how can we “not act” (inaction) as we have to perform some act daily? Srila Prabhupada comments in one of his purports in the Bhagavad Gita “He (Arjuna) appears not to have understood that work in full knowledge is nonreactive and is therefore the same as inaction”. So any activity that yields no reaction is considered action in full knowledge. What type of action yields no reaction? Krishna explains that to Arjuna
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaḿ
jñāna-sañchinna-saḿśayam
ātmavantaḿ na karmāṇi
nibadhnanti dhanañjaya
BG 4.41
One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situated factually in the self. Thus he is not bound by the reactions of work, O conqueror of riches.
There lies the secret to all our actions. If our act is an expression of devotion to that Supreme Personality Govinda, then we can be relieved of all our reactions. This to me is a Perfect Action. I would like to footnote that any whimsical action cannot be offered as an expression of devotion to the Lord but should follow proper authority and the scriptures.
As devotees of the Lord, we should try to educate people of this knowledge (by distributing Srila Prabhupada books). Only this can transcend a living entity above the chain of action and reaction (karma). If not there will be tragedy and more tragedy.
Hare Krishna
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
All glories unto your Divine Lotus Feet!
Day before yesterday was the appearance day of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj. He is the guru of A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami. Srila Prabhupada commented on his guru as “Vaikunta man” and “simha guru”.
Those two words pretty much summed up his aura and persona. He was the fourth son of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. He was born in Jagannath Puri in Orissa in 1874. He was a pure Vaishnav who spread the glories of Radha and Krishna worldwide. It is through him that we have ISKCON today.
Personally, I derive immense inspiration from his works and life. I remember reading one of his quotes (do not remember where I read it), he said “spiritual life starts with vairagya”, meaning we have to be determined to quit our material hankerings and be fixed in our pathway to God and for that we need vairagya. The resolute determination will certainly take us back home back to Krishna. His whole life is an inspiration for students such as me. Another point of reverence I have towards His Divine Grace is his command on modern day literature. He was not some old-fashioned swami who stumbled with modern views. He was pretty much in the system and was completely aware of its short comings.
His brilliance was showcased in many of his works but one conversation with a western scholar stands up. A Prof. Suthers from Ohio State University visited India sometime in the early 1900s (do not remember the exact date) where he interviewed His Divine Grace. The interview started with some cynicism on the part of the professor regarding the swami and Vedic culture in general. At the end of the interview, the professor was, let us put it this way, dumbfounded and flabbergasted at the length and breadth of His Divine Grace’s knowledge on western thought and Vedic science.
He was dynamic and a personification of renunciation. His disciples gave their lives for him and Srila Prabhupada is one such disciple who gave his life. I am, personally, indebted to Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami Maharaj for more ways than one.
I wish he blesses me with the mood to serve as das anu das unto all the Vaishnavas and my guru and Srila Prabhhupada!
Thank you Maharaj and Happy Birthday!
I offer my full prostrated obeisance unto your Divine Lotus Feet!
All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!
Hare Krishna
Monday, February 25, 2008
He is in full control
The Lord works in mysterious ways. Here, we are thinking,
We have to change the world.
We have to help people, we have to serve them
We have to protect the environment
We have to protect the animals
We have to preach the glories of the Lord so on and so forth
In all of the above…only one thing is repeatedly emphasized and that is the concept of “I, mine and we”. In other words, it only enhances the mentality of doership, ownership and sense of control. Maya also works in mysterious ways. While we perform “God’s” work…we are actually being roped into deeper sense of false ego and pride.
While…actually the entire universe is conducted by the Supreme Will of God, we are just puppets and instruments. We can choose to be the puppet of maya or the puppet of God. So…the so called problems of modern life such as animal slaughter, human slaughter, environmental degradation so on and so forth is but a grand plan by God to help us understand that our purpose in this life is to go back home and not try to enjoy in this wretched place. So if we just understand this…we can become serious in our journey back to Godhead.
So our purity is “to use our free will to surrender to the will of God” and what is impurity- it is “using our free will to surrender to the will of Maya”. So if we just surrender to the will of God instead of Maya…there is absolutely no struggle and everything would be just peaceful and happy.
What is God’s plan for us – to orchestrate our lives (gross and subtle) in such a way we go back home back to Godhead. Everything else we see and hear is played out by God perfectly according to time and place.
He is in full control. We just have to play our small part in it.
Hare Krishna.
We have to change the world.
We have to help people, we have to serve them
We have to protect the environment
We have to protect the animals
We have to preach the glories of the Lord so on and so forth
In all of the above…only one thing is repeatedly emphasized and that is the concept of “I, mine and we”. In other words, it only enhances the mentality of doership, ownership and sense of control. Maya also works in mysterious ways. While we perform “God’s” work…we are actually being roped into deeper sense of false ego and pride.
While…actually the entire universe is conducted by the Supreme Will of God, we are just puppets and instruments. We can choose to be the puppet of maya or the puppet of God. So…the so called problems of modern life such as animal slaughter, human slaughter, environmental degradation so on and so forth is but a grand plan by God to help us understand that our purpose in this life is to go back home and not try to enjoy in this wretched place. So if we just understand this…we can become serious in our journey back to Godhead.
So our purity is “to use our free will to surrender to the will of God” and what is impurity- it is “using our free will to surrender to the will of Maya”. So if we just surrender to the will of God instead of Maya…there is absolutely no struggle and everything would be just peaceful and happy.
What is God’s plan for us – to orchestrate our lives (gross and subtle) in such a way we go back home back to Godhead. Everything else we see and hear is played out by God perfectly according to time and place.
He is in full control. We just have to play our small part in it.
Hare Krishna.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
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